Shattered Illusions
by krystal lazuli
Summary: This is the seventh story in my Infinity series. The danger to Earth and Asgard has increased. Someone has lured Loki, Thor, and Katirya into trying to bargain for their position. But things did not go according to plan. Many things that were once thought true have turned out to be just shattered illusions. What is true? Will the Asgardians save the universe from chaos?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** _When I began this 'little' story, I anticipated 20 or so chapters. Little did I know how much more it would become. This is the start of the seventh in the series. I hope you enjoy it. If you have not read any of the previous stories, the first is Alliance. There are also multiple one-shots for a few of the stories._

 _A big shout of thanks to_ _Nyruserra for her beta work. I have had a hard time finding and keeping a good editor and I do appreciate her stepping up to help out here. Please wander over to her page and check out her awesome fanfiction!_

 _A quick reminder – this is fanfiction – my story as I envision it. This series was started after I saw the movie "Thor: The Dark World" so keep that in mind as you read it._

Chapter 1: Dissonance

"Katirya knew who that was, didn't she?" Stark asked Loki.

Loki nodded, "Yes," choosing not to say anything further in way of an explanation knowing that there was too much at stake and given Fury's position, he determined this wasn't anything he needed to know.

"And do any of you?" Stark probed further, looking around the room.

"Perhaps. It does sound like someone we have had dealings with in the past," Thor answered slowly, staring at his brother as he spoke. Loki shook his head warningly and Thor said no more.

"Well, that's very informative. Care to tell us more?" Fury asked sarcastically.

Loki sighed heavily before answering quietly. "It is on a need to know basis, and you do not need to know."

Stark snorted. "I think that answers that." He walked towards the bar. "I'm going to have a drink. Anyone else?"

"Please," Loki said as he sat down on the sofa. Thor joined him as Stark headed over to the bar and prepared drinks for everyone.

"Well, that exchange has certainly cemented ties between Earth and…" Stark waved at the empty spot where Katirya had recently vacated. "Whoever took her. Bet we're really safe now. We got … what? Sif? In exchange? Jarvis! Have you seen Lady Sif?"

"I am sorry sir. She is not here at the present time."

"Wait!" Fury shouted. "What do you mean by _'at the present time'_?"

"As Captain Obvious…"Jarvis began.

Steve practically choked as he spit out his drink.

"Will you all quit calling me Captain Obvious?" Fury roared.

"What would you rather be called? Captain I Traded Two Ladies and a Handful of the Most Powerful Gems in the Universe and got Nothing in Return?" Tony asked.

Fury glared at him.

"Real good, Fury. Real good. Great plan," Rogers chimed in. "So, now what do we do? Just sit here and wait until they either attack Earth or send Lady Sif? My bets are on the former action by the way."

"Mine too, for what it's worth," Stark added. He noted that Loki and Thor had been strangely quiet, sitting on the sofa as if nothing of importance had happened. "What? You two don't seem so surprised by this."

"No, it was anticipated actually," Loki replied quietly. "When the request came for the stones _and_ my wife, we expected they wanted her for some reason."

"Speaking of those gems, why the hell does your wife seem to just play with them like they were toys? I thought they were dangerous."

"They are very dangerous. Few can control them," Loki paused as he considered what he ought to tell Fury and what he did not need to know. "Even Thanos knew he would be unable to harness their power without something to aid him. Thus, he had the Infinity Gauntlet made. Jane, a mere human, had no ability to control the Aether and it caused irreparable damage…"

"That's your opinion," Fury snapped, interrupting Loki.

Loki shrugged. "As you wish. I know even the short time I had the Mind Stone I could feel the enormous power it contained. Combined with the Tesseract, it was combination that was just…" he swept his arm out at the New York landscape. "You saw what happened."

"That was all you. You wanted ultimate power," Fury shot back.

"They _do_ tend to make you feel that way," Loki mused. "Yet Kiri has never had any issues with them. I cannot explain why, but that is the way it is."

Thor spoke up. "It is also why Asgard felt it important to not have two of the gems located so close together. We sent the Aether away after we defeated the Dark Elves. Since the Tesseract was already housed in Odin's Vault. A second Infinity Gem was just too much."

"Yet, you went out and purposely started to collect them all, once Loki's wife arrived on the scene," Fury pointed out. "Why?"

"We felt it better to know where they all were rather than leave our enemy out seeking them," Thor responded.

"Plus, Katirya is able to use the stones without any harm," Loki added.

"And why is that?" Fury continued to probe, trying to get some answers.

Loki shrugged. "As I stated, she is able to. I have seen moments when they do seem to take over for a short time, but then reason sets in and they no longer control her. As she has worked with them over time, I have seen that she actually has very little interest in them. The only one she does keep with her is the Soul Stone, the one she left Cartherion with when she fled to Asgard."

"So, you're saying you _decided_ it was safe to start collecting these things?" Fury snarled. "And you basically figured it was the stones and your wife that whoever it is out there wants?"

Loki nodded. "Yes, we," he broke off his explanation and glanced at Thor. "We felt that whoever is after them was clearly aware of Kiri's ability to control the stones, most likely from a spy that we have been trying to discover. This seemed the best way to discover both the spy and who was after the gems."

"The best way? Seriously? You knew this might happen – that they'd kidnap your wife?" Stark stared at him. "And yet you came?"

"What options did we have? Although the results were not exactly what we had hoped for, they were not surprising." Thor turned to stare at Fury, then started firing questions. "Did you truly think they were going to relinquish Sif and save your precious Earth for you? I hope you realize how rash your actions were. Why did you allay yourself with this being? What can you tell us about him… or her? Who is it?" He raised his voice as he asked each question until he was almost shouting.

"Hey! They came to me. Sent my…" Fury stopped abruptly.

"Sent your what?" Stark asked.

"Are you siding with them?" Fury growled, refusing to continue his explanation.

"I thought that was obvious since you clearly didn't pick the right side," Stark replied. "Now… what was it of yours that they sent? What convinced you to join up with them?"

"I told you. They promised to save Earth." Fury adamantly refused to offer any other explanations.

"Right, and return Lady Sif. So far I see no evidence of either event happening," Thor pointed out. "I do hope you are prepared for war."

"We're ready," Fury said calmly, crossing his arms across his chest. "We can handle it."

"Can you? Do you truly think you have the ability to battle something you do not understand?" Loki asked quietly. "Or have you forgotten New York?"

Thor shot a look at his brother. The fact that he was willing to bring this event up demonstrated that he was fully aware of the type of person they were dealing with. This surprised Thor, but he elected to say nothing about it.

"I _do_ know they will deliver on their promise," Fury stated firmly.

"Considering that they have changed their terms already, I highly doubt it. But… it is not worth the time to argue over it. We need to plan and prepare…"

"For what? Oh, right – they never did promise to save your world. Sorry I failed to _include_ you in the deal, but you'd clearly washed your hands of Earth. And maybe they changed the terms for you, but my deal with them still stands." Fury moved away from the group, preparing to leave.

"Leaving? So soon?" Stark asked sarcastically. "And here I was just beginning to enjoy our visit."

"I did what I was supposed to do. My part in this is done. I delivered the gems as promised. Sorry they didn't return Sif, but…" Fury shrugged. "Guess it depends on who you side with. Me, I prefer winners."

"Really?" Stark asked as he moved over to the bar to refresh his drink.

"Sir," Jarvis spoke up. "The visitors have returned."

As a group, they all turned to face the spot where Katirya had last stood. One of the hooded visitors was now standing there holding something. Unceremoniously he dropped it on the ground. "Our part of the bargain," he pointed to the object. "We never promised the condition of it, just that we would give it over to you." He spun on his heel and walked out to the balcony.

"Wait!" Steve shouted, but the visitor ignored him.

Stepping off the edge of the balcony, he dropped out of sight.

"Jarvis! Where did he come from? And more importantly – where did he go?" Stark shouted.

"I am sorry sir. He simply _appeared_. Out on the balcony. And left in the same manner," the cool voice answered.

Loki and Thor raced to the balcony. Gazing skyward, they searched for any sign of a ship.

"Damn!" Thor swore softly. "How did they…"

Loki cut him off. "Over there." He pointed towards the eastern horizon. A shimmer could be seen just above the buildings.

"Cloaked, why would he think he needed to do that?" Thor asked.

Loki shrugged. "Hiding from earth's people? Which other races use it?"

Steve had joined them on the balcony. "Stealth mode technology. S.H.I.E.L.D. has it. But… why would they use stealth to come here? And those didn't look like agents."

"Well, if Earth can manage it, that just about rules out no one," Loki quipped. "I wouldn't have thought _he_ would use it, even for this."

Thor nodded in agreement. "We aren't any closer to our answer, are we?"

"We will be. At least we know who, but the question is why? It doesn't make sense," Loki replied quietly as they returned to the room. Tony and Fury were standing by remains of what appeared to be a body. It was burned beyond recognition, but the clothing scraps that clung to the burnt flesh were identical to what Lady Sif had been wearing at her wedding.

"I'm sorry," Tony stated as the two brothers approached.

"For what?" Loki asked. "You didn't do this."

"No, but…" Tony jerked his head towards Fury.

"A life for a life, I guess," Fury stated baldly.

"What, you mean we should accept the death of Jane as an acceptable exchange for Lady Sif?" Steve spit out, furious.

"Is that how you _really_ feel? We had nothing to do with Jane's death. Your buddies are behind _all_ of this, and yet you try to place the blame on us?" Loki asked him quietly, moving closer to the man. "If you think we will not avenge her death _and_ Jane's, you are wrong. I just hope you are ready to face the consequences."

"If your brother hadn't come to Earth, none of this would have happened. Jane would never have met him and…" Fury's voice trailed off.

The Bifrost effect shimmered, interrupting Fury. The Warriors Three appeared, accompanied by Loki's eldest son.

"I left you three in charge. Who is guarding Asgard?" Loki snapped as soon as they were fully there. "And why are you here?" He looked directly at Kai as he asked the last question.

"Heimdall sent us. He had a message he felt important enough to send to you, and he felt you might have need of us… and Kai…" Fandral started to answer.

Kai broke into Fandral's explanation. "I came because it is my mother we are talking about. I am old enough to fight, and I want to help," Kai's gaze darted between each of the Warriors Three and Thor as if daring them to argue he was not capable of fighting.

Loki nodded. "Indeed, you do spend significant time on the practice field. Far more than I ever did. You may stay."

Kai swallowed hard. "Thank you, father."

"You might not be thanking me when this is all over," Loki replied. Turning to address Fandral, he arched an eyebrow. "Well? What is the message?"

"Heimdall has located Katirya, and…" Fandral began.

"Where is she?" Tony and Steve asked simultaneously.

Fandral rolled his eyes, shooting a glare at the pair who had just cut him off from delivering the full message. "As I was saying, she is…" once again, he was interrupted.

"Knowhere," a new voice finished for him. 

**Author's Note:** _I_ _do ask that if you intend to review, please make sure you are logged in to FFN. Guest reviews are set for moderation and if you ask or comment on something that requires a response, I may not allow the review to go through. I've simply encountered too many asking questions that are simply off base, or trying to figure out how I am going to include something that is in another movie - thus the moderation._

 _I always appreciate reviews, and I always try to reply back. I realize not everyone is going to like my story, but please note that one tiny word = MY. This is my interpretation of the characters and they behave how I desire them to. If you think a certain character should do something differently - that is perfectly fine - but do not tell me they cannot do it in my story. I simply suggest you write your own story._


	2. Chapter 2: A Road to Knowhere

Ch. 2: A Road to Knowhere

Everyone in the room started at the new voice; heads turned to face that direction. A tall hooded figure stood there.

"What the hell?" Stark asked. The visitor… a he, or was it a she, was wearing a grey hooded cloak. The hood was pulled over the face partially, but some of the features were visible. "Jarvis! I really need to you announce visitors a little better. Or is it Halloween and someone forgot to tell me?" He addressed the new arrival. "In which case the appropriate announcement is 'Trick or Treat', not nowhere."

"Sorry, sir. He just… appeared, like Mr. Fury's accomplices."

"That's Director" Fury muttered under his breath, then shrugged and spoke louder. "And not my contact."

"Jarvis, you're fired. And you," Stark directed his attention back to the newcomer. "And what the hell do you mean by nowhere? She has to be somewhere."

"Knowhere is a place. Taneleer maintains his… _ah,_ collection on Knowhere," Thor explained before the visitor could speak.

Loki inclined his head in greeting. "I ought to have expected you. Somehow, I feel as if you can fill in some of the missing parts."

"You know this dude?" Stark asked. Loki just nodded causing Stark to glare back at him.

Pushing back the hood to reveal his full face, Greiwaldt nodded in return. "He does know me, and I believe I might be of aid. There are some things I do need to tell you. Heimdall said Kiri was taken."

"Yes," Loki answered quietly.

"But not the stones?"

Loki allowed a sliver of a smile to appear. "No, she did not have any of the stones. We had a plan… of sorts. Did not work out quite as we intended," he shrugged, "but it is feasible it still might."

"Even the Soul Stone?" Greiwaldt persisted, staring intently at Loki.

Loki shifted uncomfortably at the question. Greiwaldt waited patiently, continuing to stare at him. Sighing, he finally admitted. "Yes, she did have that one."

"Good, at least she is not completely alone," Greiwaldt smiled grimly. "Though I would not call the thirteen souls much for companionship."

"Wait, she took one of the stones with her after all? Isn't that dangerous, letting them get that close to the enemy?" Steve broke in.

"She will be fine, I think. At least I hope I taught her enough." Greiwaldt paused for a moment before continuing. "The rest of the stones you have collected, they are still safe on Asgard?"

"Yes," Loki replied.

"Umm… father?" Kai spoke up, his eyes focused directly on Loki, trying to ignore Greiwaldt. "I actually have the rest of the gems. Mother asked me to bring them if she was taken during the negotiations. Heimdall kept us informed as to what was transpiring down here, and… well, when Volstagg said they were coming I told him I had to come with, that she said I had to," Kai explained.

"She did _what_?" Loki gasped, clearly surprised by this information. "Crazy woman, why didn't she tell me this little tidbit?" he muttered under her breath, then asked Kai. "Did she say why?"

Kai shook his head. "No, but she suspected that we might need them if they took her. She didn't tell you because she hoped they would not take her, but she figured they might. And," he paused a second before he went on. "she figured you might be mad if you found out she thought it was a serious enough possibility to start considering contingencies."

"Well, she was obviously right on them taking her, but I can't believe this kid is carrying around these dangerous gems now?" Fury broke in, starting to pace the room, constantly checking the balcony for new arrivals. "Great… just what we need. What's to stop them from swooping back down and taking off with the kid?"

"My son is _not_ a kid, and _you_ need stay out of thisl" Loki snapped at Fury. "Kai has proven he can take care of himself, while you… you have caused enough trouble."

Greiwaldt chuckled at Loki's correction. "He is correct. Kai is quite capable. He could easily defeat you in any contest."

Fury eyed the young Asgardian. Kai was tall and slender like his father. "Seriously?" he scoffed. "I highly doubt that."

Kai lifted his eyebrows as he stared at the man. "Were we not involved in something so serious, I would take you up on that challenge."

"That was no challenge, boy. I don't fight boys," Fury turned his back to Kai so he did not see the grin spread across the boy's face.

"As you wish," Kai replied quietly, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.

"You know, when this is all over, I'd kind of like to see you try to best him Fury," Steve tossed out. "My money is on Kai."

"Yeah, well you were just a scrawny kid too, till they fixed you up. I don't think that technology would work with the likes of him," Fury shot back.

"Be careful when you judge people," Greiwaldt said. "You will always end up being surprised."

Fury glared at him. "Sorry, bud. But I don't know you and don't care what you think."

"Oh, we have met before. I am surprised you do not remember." Greiwaldt smiled at Fury.

"Trust me, if I'd met the likes of you, I'd remember," Fury scoffed.

Stepping in to end what seemed to be a pointless argument, Tony chimed in. "I'm sorry to say I don't know who you are either. I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Tony Stark."

"Sorry, this is Greiwaldt. He is Katirya's half-brother," Thor finally introduced the newcomer to the others.

"Ah, that is not quite correct," Greiwaldt interjected. "As I stated, there are some things you need to know." Greiwaldt closed his eyes before he went on. "I suggest we all take a seat as this is going to take some time to explain."

"Well, we do have a slight problem to deal with first," Loki pointed to the charred body of Lady Sif.

Greiwaldt walked over to inspect the body. "Who is this?"

"Lady Sif. That was part of the bargain Fury made with his buddies. They'd return Sif if Loki and Katirya showed up with the gems," Steve explained.

"Oh, there was also another part to the message from Heimdall," Fandral spoke up. "He said to tell you his sister is with Katirya."

"Wait! Heimdall has a sister? Who's his sister… and… who is this friend of yours?" Stark asked as everyone moved to sit down as directed.

"Sif is alive?" Thor practically shouted. "Then, who is that?" he pointed to the remains.

"Now that is the sixty-four-million-dollar question," Stark quipped, then whirled to face Fury. "Still convinced you can trust your buddies?"

"They are _not_ my buddies. I was simply doing a business transaction with them," Fury replied.

"Some transaction. But it looks like someone else was killed just to make you think they were honest. Jarvis, can you get someone here to deal with this?" Stark asked.

"I thought I was fired, sir," Jarvis replied.

"You're rehired… for the moment. As long as you can get the room cleaned up and start announcing people before they wander in," Stark said.

"Yes, sir. I will take care of it at once."

Stark walked over to inspect the body one more time. "So, we don't know who this is…" then glanced over at Greiwaldt, "And you're Katirya's brother."

"Half-brother," Thor corrected him.

"Not precisely. I must admit that I did not tell the exact truth earlier. You see, I am not Kiri's brother, I am actually her father," Greiwaldt announced.

"What?" Loki stared at Greiwaldt. "Her father? Why did you lie to her?"

"I had to," Greiwaldt sighed and sat down on a chair waving to the Asgardians to sit on the sofa across from him, completely ignoring the humans who were watching in total fascination trying to fathom what was happening.

Loki, Thor, and Kai sat as instructed while the Warriors Three moved to stand behind them.

"So, that makes you my grandfather? I'm confused," Kai spoke up. "I thought Taneleer was my grandfather."

"Right, so did I. Then who is her mother? And does Kiri know all this?" Loki asked.

"No, she does not. Her mother was Beythran. That part is true. Beythran's mother was also an Elder, which explains why Kiri can control all of the stones so easily, as I am also an Elder." He shot a quick look at Fury as he spoke, indicating he was fully aware of what had transpired before his arrival.

Fury shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He had been staring at Greiwaldt and finally recalled their previous encounter. "You still owe me a helijet."

Greiwaldt smiled slightly as he recalled that little adventure. "A hell-of-a-what? Oh, that flying contraption. I was not the one to borrow it, so I fear I do not owe you anything. As to the gems, only an elder is capable of using all of the gems without harm, while others may use them for a while, eventually they can damage the individual as you saw with the human… Reign? No, Jane, Jane Foster, correct?" Greiwaldt asked.

"Yes, Jane; but how come Loki was able to use the Tesseract?" Stark asked.

"He is not human," Greiwaldt pointed out.

" _I'll say,_ " Fury muttered.

"So, you and Beythran were married?" Thor asked.

"Unfortunately, no, though I would have liked that," Greiwaldt said wistfully. "She was already married to Althanas. When Thanos discovered that Beythran was the daughter of Gaea…"

"Wait!" Thor stopped him. "Beythran is my half-sister?"

Greiwaldt nodded. "Yes."

"Then that makes Kiri my niece," Thor looked dumbfounded.

"Correct. It is all a rather complicated story, I am not sure where to begin," Greiwaldt said.

"How about the beginning?" Stark asked. "That's usually a good place."

"It's a great deal more complicated than that, but…" Greiwaldt hesitated. "I suppose you are right. First, my true name is not Greiwaldt, it is actually Ord Zynoz. And as you stated, I am one of the Elders as well."

"As well as what?" Steve asked.

"Others, there are other elders. We are not related, though we call ourselves 'brother' or 'sister'. Taneleer is also an Elder, as is Gaea… I think those are the only ones you might have been in contact with through this," Greiwaldt replied.

"So, do we call you Ord now?" Kai asked.

"Greiwaldt is fine. It is what I have been known by for several centuries. Now, as I was saying, Thanos wanted to ensure total control of the gems. As a Titan, he needed something to wield them with since he could not harness their power by himself, thus he had the gauntlet made. He also figured out that if he could father a child that was blood-related to an elder, he would have an even stronger hold on the gems – a child he could raise that would do his bidding and obey him."

"Obviously he has never had kids," Steve tossed out.

"Why do you say that?" Greiwaldt asked.

"They are notorious for not obeying their parents," Steve replied.

A ripple of laughter erupted from the assembled group.

"Point taken, but not something he considered," Greiwaldt conceded. "At first, he planned to marry Beythran himself, but then Althanas, his half-brother, came up with what they both felt was a better scheme. He suggested that if she were to bear a child of another elder, that child would be even stronger that if Thanos fathered the child."

"An interesting scheme, but how did they get her to agree?" Thor asked.

"She did not. In fact, she outright refused to marry Thanos. This created quite a problem as you can imagine. Althanas decided to see if he could woo her, since he was from Cartherion – his mother was a Cartherion so he did not present quite the same physique as Thanos."

"You mean he's not huge, and purple, and ugly," Loki quipped.

Greiwaldt snorted. "Correct. He was far more pleasing to look at. His courting worked and Beythran agreed to marry him."

"Wasn't his brother pissed off at him? I mean, like, he wanted to marry her," Stark asked.

"Thanos didn't care who married he. He did not love her, and to be honest, neither did his brother, but that wasn't an issue. They just wanted to have some control over Beythran so they could somehow manage to complete their, _ah_ , mission," Greiwaldt replied.

"Mission? Some mission – marry a girl you don't love and somehow get her to have someone else father your child," Steve pointed out. "Not exactly the type of mission I would have signed up for."

"Sounds easy, right?" Stark added.

"But I am guessing there is more to this?" Loki asked.

"Indeed, a lot more," Greiwaldt replied.

•§•§•

She woke up slowly, sick to her stomach. Whatever they had given her was not sitting well. She wanted to throw up at first, but as she slowly returned to full consciousness the nausea passed. The cell, or maybe it was a room – she couldn't tell as it was simply too dark; there was absolutely no light. "Hello?" She called out, hoping she was not alone. No one answered. She figured if anyone else was in here, they were either passed out or choosing to not reply. Hopefully they were not dangerous.

Slowly rolling over, she rose to her knees and started to crawl around in the dark, trying to take stock of the size of the room and what might be in it. She figured to stand and walk was too dangerous until she knew precisely what was in here with her.

As she crawled, she reached out with one hand, groping the darkness to see if she could find anything. She continued to extend her hand until her fingers finally touched a wall. She took a break, still feeling nauseous. "Ok, so I've found a wall… and if I ever find who did this to me they are going to be very sorry."

After resting a few minutes and knowing she had reached at least one boundary, she slowly followed the wall until she reached a corner. "Well, well, well… another wall," she spoke aloud, glad to hear at least her voice. She realized it sounded rough. Rubbing her throat, she discovered it was tender. She wondered if it was bruised? Swallowing, she discovered she was very thirsty. Someone was going to pay dearly for this, she decided.

Reversing directions, she crawled back along the wall, trying to determine the size of the room. Reaching a second corner, she sat down to consider the venture thus far. The darkness made it difficult to determine how far she had crawled, but it had seemed like a long time. She sat in the corner considering the distance. It had felt like an eternity, but she realized it had probably been less than a minute.

"Well," she muttered to the darkness. "Let's try for another wall." She continued her slow exploration of the boundaries she was confined to. Eventually she returned to what she thought had been her starting place, if this room was rectangular. The corners had given her the impression that it was. Surprisingly, she had discovered no signs of a door or entry – or exit as she preferred to think of it.

Sitting in the corner once again, she considered what she had learned – not much of anything she concluded. She knew she was in a fairly small, rectangular room that was dark as hell. "Where's Hela when you need her?" she asked aloud, not expecting an answer… and not receiving one either.

' _How long had I been here? Does anyone even know I'm here?'_ Her thoughts were not reassuring. Then she realized whoever had dumped her in here knew she was here. _'I just hope he doesn't forget me. I wonder if Heimdall can even see me it's so dark in here'._ She laughed aloud at that thought. It _was_ dark.

A loud noise interrupted her thoughts. An opening appeared across from her, but the brightness of the light blinded her.

"Awake? Good. Don't go anywhere," a disembodied voice instructed her as the opening began closing.

"Wait! Don't go! Where am I? I need water… food!" she shouted desperately.

The opening paused and a shadowy head could be seen in it. She could not make out any features as her eyes had yet to adjust to the light. "It's in the middle. You'll find it." The opening snapped shut.


	3. Chapter 3: Rooted in Darkness

**Author's Note:** _Thanks to_ _Nyruserra_ _and_ _roseusvortex_ _for the excellent beta work._

Chapter 3: Rooted in Darkness

"' _It's in the middle,'_ thanks," she muttered. "Thanks. Thanks for nothing. And really? Don't go anywhere? Where can I go?"

The short blast of light had blinded her making it impossible to get any clue as to the actual size of the room, or if there were any exits besides that opening. Putting her back directly against the wall, she sat for a moment. "So, it is in the middle. Great. How does one find the middle of a black room?"

Deciding it couldn't hurt, she decided to shout. "A little light wouldn't hurt, would it?" She waited a few minutes, but nothing happened. "Guess it might," she sighed. "Well, only way to find the food is to find the middle."

She debated standing then decided crawling was her best bet. Her insides still were roiling, and she did not want to trip over the food and water. She was thirsty. Her first goal was to figure out the midpoint of the wall, and then strike out towards the center.

She crawled to the corner, then retraced her path, counting her 'steps' that her hands took. Once she had figured out the approximate center point of the wall, she began to slowly crawl across the room, groping ahead with her fingertips in hopes of encountering the food and water. It seemed to take forever, but she knew the darkness was affecting her sense of time.

After one trip across the room with no success, another wave of nausea swept over her. What _had_ they given her? When had they given it to her? She thought back, trying to remember what had happened. The last thing she clearly recalled was the wedding feast and heading to the wedding bedchambers. "Blast! This is not helping." She slapped her forehead, knowing more had happened after the wedding, but what?

When nothing else came to mind, she set out across the room again, determined to find the food and water. This time, she paused after every 'step' and swept her hands to the right and left as far as she could reach. This tactic paid off as her fingers touched a bowl. She scooted to the bowl and carefully reached around until she discovered what seemed to be a water bag. Unscrewing the top, she drank slowly, not wishing to upset her stomach any further. The liquid was warm but did not seem to have any after taste. The water stayed down and she patted the bowl, trying to figure out what was in it. It felt like bread. Picking it up, she sniffed and discovered she was correct - it was a small hunk of bread.

"Better than nothing." She started to chew on the food, washing it down periodically with another swig of water. Finishing off the meal, she set the bowl back on the floor and tried once more to remember what had happened following the wedding feast. A few more bits came back to her, but nothing that made sense. They had all arrived in the wedding bedchambers and preparations began for the arrival of the new husband. Wine and laughter… but nothing that jumped out at her, or anything following this event.

How had she been so careless to allow someone to drug her? And more importantly, _when_ had it occurred?

•§•

"Let me get this straight, Thanos wanted Beythran's kid – fathered by an Elder, so he could raise it himself and basically rule the world… "

"Universe," Greiwaldt quickly corrected.

Stark's eyes flashed at the interruption. "Right, universe… using these Infinity Stones? But she didn't like his ugly face so he sent his brother to marry her instead."

"Correct," Greiwaldt nodded. "He was able to successfully convince her to marry him… surprisingly."

Thor's eyes narrowed. "Why do you say that?"

"Let's just say that Althanas has some strange preferences. Obviously, he was able to hide these from his prospective bride," Greiwaldt replied. A slight look of distaste crossed his face.

"But that doesn't explain how they convinced Beythran to have a child that wasn't her husband's. And you are really Katirya's father. Did Thanos know that?" Steve asked, bringing up a point that had bothered him during the explanation. "Or were you the Elder they picked to father this child?"

"Ah, no. I was not the chosen Elder as neither brother was unaware of the fact that I was an Elder. He simply asked me to run the errand for him. I had been…" he hesitated for several seconds before continuing. "I had been keeping an eye on them. I had suspected Thanos was up to something when I discovered he had the Infinity Gauntlet made, so I disguised myself and managed to find work within his army. I made sure I became extremely useful to him so that he would trust me. It is also how I know most of what I am telling you is the truth as I was often present and even consulted during the plotting between the brothers and their sister."

"Sister?" Loki asked, interest sparked by this additional revelation. "There is also a sister?"

"Yes, all three have the same father, but different mothers, which explains the differences in looks between each of them. The youngest, Thariana…" Greiwaldt broke off with a look of disgust.

"What about this sister?" Loki probed, seeing the look and curious as to what was behind it.

"Thariana and Althanas were, ah, lovers," Greiwaldt explained.

"That doesn't explain how he got her to even consider having a child with another man… or Elder, or whatever you want to call it," Stark argued. "I mean, unless you folks all have a different view on marriages."

Greiwaldt shook his head. "No, it does not; however, Althanas did not love her. His interests were with his sister – or half-sister actually. He only married her to secure her to his family for his brother. He was working with Thanos on this plan of theirs. And he never told her what he wanted her to do when he sent her to the Elder. He just hoped it would work out. It was my mission to see that it did. Thanos was rather firm on that part of the mission. If I were to fail, he promised I would pay for it."

"But… if you are really an Elder, could he follow through on that promise?" Thor asked.

"No," Greiwaldt quickly answered. "But remember, they were unaware of precisely who I was. Thanos thought I was simply one of his minions. I never gave them any reason to think otherwise."

"So… just out of curiosity, who did they pick to be the big daddy?" Fury asked.

"You're still here?" Stark glanced over at him. "I thought you left to go meet up with your friends. Speaking of friends, Jarvis?"

"Yes, sir?" the mechanical voice replied.

"Would you mind asking Clint and Natasha to join us? Bruce too if he's still in the house," Tony asked. "I think they need to learn about all this. It might help them to understand all the crap you got them involved in." He looked over at Greiwaldt. "If you don't mind waiting a few minutes for them to join us?"

"Not at all. If you don't mind," he held up his empty glass. Tony started to get up but Volstagg waved him off.

"I'll take care of it, I could use a refresher myself," Volstagg explained. "Anyone else?" A few others raised their glasses and Hogun and Fandral collected them. Volstagg moved behind the bar and rummaged around finding the necessary ingredients for each drink. By the time the drinks were refilled, Clint and Natasha had arrived.

"Bruce is busy in the lab. What's up?" Clint asked as he entered.

"We have company who is explaining a bit of the mess that Captain Obvious managed to ensnare us in," Tony answered. He quickly brought them up to date on what they had learned so far.

"So, Sif's dead… or not?" Natasha asked.

"We believe not dead, but someone is dead in her place," Thor answered. "Our enemy wishes us to believe she is dead so we will proceed as if that is the case. Fortunately, we do know she is alive thanks to Heimdall."

"And she is with your wife?" Clint asked, looking at Loki.

"Yes, on Knowhere," Loki replied.

"Great name – Knowhere," Clint laughed. "Are we sending Fury there? I mean, if that's where his buddy is?"

"He is _not_ my buddy. I was only conducting a business transaction intended to save Earth," Fury shot back. "And I am _not_ Captain Obvious. I wish you would quit calling me that."

"Sorry, I'll try to remember that, but it does seem to fit," Stark smirked. "Now… about who was supposed to be Katirya's father…?" He looked pointedly at Greiwaldt, indicating it was time to get back to the story.

"Taneleer Tivan was chosen, which is why Kiri thinks he really _is_ her father," Greiwaldt answered. "She has been told this since she was old enough to know by her mother. Althanas basically avoided contact with the child after her birth. In fact, he pretty much avoided any contact with Beythran as well. He chose to live in the primary city of Cartherion, relegating mother and daughter to the country."

"Why him?" Loki asked. "Did they expect he would simply fall into the plan? I would think he would have been a bit smarter than that."

"Indeed, one would think. But, they selected Taneleer because he was half-mad."

"Only half?" Thor looked at Greiwaldt like he was crazy. "I would say he a bit more than half-mad."

"True…" Greiwaldt admitted, "but for good reason."

"Good reason? Do tell, what good reason does that insane idiot have to be… well, insane?" Volstagg asked. "I've met the man and he's just… just…" she broke off, lost for words to describe what she felt about him. "That collection of his is creepy."

Greiwaldt nodded sagely. "Creepy, that is a good term for his hobby."

"What does he collect?" Steve asked.

"Species, living species, almost like what you call a zoo. Only a lot of them are human," Volstagg told him. "And I would say he doesn't treat them all that well… at least from the looks of it when we visited him with the Aether."

"That's what he calls a ' _hobby_ '?" Steve looked repulsed. "I would think there are better things to collect than humans."

"Well, he does collect other objects as well. A rather odd assortment if you ask me." Volstagg added. "Was rather pleased we asked him to take the Aether."

"That is one thing that does not make sense in this," Thor stated when the Aether was brought up. "At various times, Tivan has had one or more of the Infinity Gems in his possession. Yet he gave them all to Kiri. Why?"

"That is the question I do not have the answer for. Tivan has always believed Kiri to be his daughter…"

"Wait!" Loki broke in before Greiwaldt could finish. "You have said she isn't his child– that she is your daughter. How did that happen and why does Tivan believe she is his child?"

"Stop!" Stark shouted. "I want to know why the dude is insane. That sounds more interesting."

"Actually, all of this is relevant to this whole scenario," Greiwaldt agreed with each of the comments. "I believe as I explain how everything happened, it will all make sense. He was not always the way he currently is."

"Is anyone?" Steve asked.

"True, but once he was quite brilliant. He had a wife, and a daughter… life was good until his daughter was murdered. His wife died shortly after as a result – she lost the will to live. That is one thing about the Elders, we do not die unless we lose interest in life. Tivan's wife lost interest when her daughter Carina died."

"Carina?" Volstagg exclaimed. "We met Carina when we went to deliver the Aether."

Greiwaldt shook his head. "No, that was not his daughter Carina. Since the death of both his wife and daughter, Tivan determined to maintain his interest in life. He did that by beginning his famous collection. From that collection, he has selects one living specimen to serve as his slave… or servant as he calls them. He names each one Carina in memory of his daughter. Although they are not just servants, but serve him in all manner, including sexually."

"Okay, that is just creepy," Stark said. "He names the servant after his daughter and has sex with them?"

Greiwaldt shrugged. "Not my choice, but it is how he finds relevance in his life."

"Strange way to find relevance," Steve muttered. "Sleeping with your servant who you've named after your daughter."

"He became a bit mad after her death," Greiwaldt offered. "While I do not agree with his behaviors, it is what has kept him alive. It was also why he was selected as a potential father for this child Thanos desired. It was well known that Tivan will sleep with pretty much anyone, including his servant."

"Great choice," Thor stated with a heavy dose of sarcasm. "Pick a guy who'll sleep with anyone… oh, but he has to be an Elder. Good thing Tivan was around. Thanos didn't have anything to do with the murder of the daughter Carina, did he?"

"That I do not know, although it is quite possible. But to murder someone and hope that the parent becomes deranged?" Greiwaldt shrugged. "Difficult to predict. Be that as it may, although it does open up a train of inquiry if any care to investigate?" He looked pointedly at Fury.

"Me? Why would I want to bother investigating the death of a non-human?" Fury asked.

"Well, for one, you've aligned yourself with him," Loki stated baldly.

"Wait? You're saying this madman is the one who took your wife?" Fury asked. "His name wasn't Tivan, that I can assure you."

Loki's jaw dropped as he stared at the human. "Have you heard nothing that has been said?"

Fury stared back with his one good eye, not answering.

"If I may continue?" Greiwaldt paused. When no one said otherwise, he went on. "Tivan was the chosen one, and Beythran was sent off to travel to Knowhere. She was unaware when we left that her mission included seducing Tivan, and ensure she was with child before returning. She was given a token mission, bringing some plant species from Cartherion for his collection, as a reason for her visit." Greiwaldt stopped to clear his throat.

"Something to drink?" Stark asked.

"Water, please." Greiwaldt waited to continue until after he had finished a glass of water. "Not often I tell stories such as this. Anyways, during the voyage to Knowhere, I fell in love with her and she returned that love. I know that sounds… trite, but it is true. We spent many days in one another's company. During that time, she confided her fears. She had learned more than I had realized about her husband, including what his plans for her were. She was afraid of her husband, considered him a monster, but knew she could not leave him. He would find her and kill her. We developed a plan of sorts. She still was unaware of the fact I am an Elder. I do not believe she ever knew that. Obviously, she had no desire to sleep with Tivan, and we knew we could not return unless she was pregnant… so…" He shrugged. "Kiri was a result of our love."

"But you said Tivan thought he was the father?" Clint pointed out. "How the hell did you manage that?"

"A little bit of dishonesty, on our part. We did visit with Tivan, presenting him with the plant. He flirted with Beythran, and she feigned interest in him. I ensured he was drunk enough at least more than once and she would sneak into his bed after he passed out. So, it was a simple matter to convince him that he had slept with Beythran more than once during our visit. Once she discovered she was pregnant with our child, she told Tivan about the child – insinuating it was his and not mine. He believed her – why wouldn't he? Thus, our plan worked. We returned to Cartherion and Beythran delivered a lovely girl. Thanos was ecstatic that it was a girl – it played even better into his plans as could marry the child himself when she came of age. He had Althanas threaten Beythran about training the girl in the arts of magic, the intent be to keep her under total control. Obviously, she did not listen. But I knew that would be insufficient for the child. Given that Beythran was afraid of her husband and his brother, the simple magic she knew would not be enough. That is where I stepped in and began training her. I had decided to live near Beythran so we could meet as often as possible. It also gave me the opportunity to surreptitiously provide training to Katirya so that she would be able to stand up to Thanos and Althanas should the need arise."

"If I am understanding correctly, both Tivan _and_ my wife have no knowledge about her true parentage?" Loki asked once Greiwaldt had finished.

"Correct. They both believe he is her true father," Greiwaldt answered. "As I saw Tivan's interest in the gems increase, I knew the last thing he needed to know was that she was not his daughter. He never developed much interest in her, nothing like his love for his wife and daughter, but he knew she was there. I think that is why he felt it was safe to allow her to keep the Infinity Stones, but there is much we do not know. His sudden interest in the gems again concerns me. The fact that he has manipulated your friend," he pointed to Fury.

"Not _my_ friend," Stark corrected.

"He was not manipulating me. We had a deal. But that ain't his name," Fury shot back.

"Who did you meet with?" Greiwaldt asked.

Fury's eyes focused on the floor as he answered. "A man; said his name was Mike something… weird last name." He raised his gaze, daring anyone to contradict him, then shifted uncomfortably before continuing. "He promised if I worked with him to get the Infinity Stones, he would make sure Earth would not be destroyed when he got rid of the rest of you." He swept his arm in the direction of the assembled group. "You all obviously don't care, so I did what I had to."

"And we see how that has turned out," Steve's gaze wandered to where the body had been deposited earlier. All traces of it gone, thanks to Jarvis.

Loki considered that point. "We need to make sure we do not let on to Tivan that we know Sif is still alive. He wants us to believe she is dead, so we must move forward with that premise in mind. I am certain he expected us to know he is behind this as well and is anticipating a visit from us. Thor? Are you ready?"

Thor nodded.

"Well, whenever you're ready to go, I would be willing to help. I feel as if I need to redeem my previous associations." Steve shot a glance a Fury. "Had I known everything, I know I would not have acted as I did on Asgard."

"Count me in as well," Hawkeye added. Both Steve and Clint turned to Tony, wondering if he would join them or not.

Tony nodded. "May as well. Looks like you are going to need all the help you can get." He shot a look at Fury. "You are not invited to our party. Sorry, but you don't play well with others." Fury just glared in return.

Loki nodded. "We appreciate your help, but I think you should know we pretty much decided that this was most likely a suicide mission. The chances of survival are minimal at best so if you wish to back out, we would understand." He turned to look at his son. "It is why we left you and the other children back on Asgard. Your mother and I, along with my brother, wished to defeat this individual. We knew the risks when we set out and decided that if we were successful, we would at least be leaving a universe that was safe for you. I wish you would reconsider your decision."

Kai swallowed hard but returned his father's look. "I am aware of the odds… and the risks, father. Frigga begged me to stay, but I could not simply stand by and allow you and mother to die just to save us when I knew I could offer aid." A slight grin appeared. "Besides, the twins and Runa are still back on Asgard."

Hawkeye groaned at the mention of the twins. "The twins? Ruling Asgard? The universe is not ready for that."

Loki laughed, enjoying the moment of light-heartedness as they were preparing for a war against a being they were unsure if they could defeat. "That would be interesting. I think I that I am in agreement with you. The twins are a bit… much. If for no other reason than to prevent them from ruling Asgard, I believe we have incentive to ensure our mission is a success and we all survive."


	4. Chapter 4: Twisted

Chapter 4: Twisted

Sitting… in the dark. She was beginning to find it quite boring. "Beginning?" she said aloud. "Who am I kidding? It IS boring!" Her shouted echoed through the chamber. Accepting the fact that she could do nothing, she lay down and fell asleep.

Time passed, how much? She was unsure due to the darkness and the fact she had been sleeping. She stretched out as she began to wake, her fingers touching something.

"What the….?" She examined the objects, discovering more food and water had arrived. An eerie feeling crept over her at the thought that someone had been in here while she had slept. Who? She was surprised she had not sensed their presence… or had they just pushed it through the opening, which could mean she was close to it. She drank some of the water and was about to nibble on the biscuit when she heard a noise. Someone was coming.

"Good," she mumbled. "Maybe I'll find out something."

Brightness flooded the room as what appeared to be a door opened and a figure was silhouetted in the doorway.

She blinked, trying to focus, but her eyes would not adapt that quickly to the sudden influx of light. "Damn!" she swore softly to herself. Was this a friend or foe? Overhead lights suddenly illuminated the entire room. As her eyes adjusted, she swept a glance around, seeing how small the room actually was before returning to the figure at the doorway. He or she had moved further into the room and the door had closed, but the lights remained on.

"Sif!" Micarian shouted as he raced across the space between them and pulled her to her feet. "Thank the gods that I have finally found you."

Relief flooded through Sif as she recognized the figure who'd entered her cell. She was about to speak when Micarian put one hand over her mouth.

"You must be quiet. I do not want to alert anyone that I have discovered you, or that I am even in here," he whispered the explanation quietly. He removed his hand from her mouth and stepped away from her. "I feared they might have killed you already."

"How did you find me?" Sif asked, comforted by his presence but surprised by his reserve. She was confused by his actions. She moved to embrace him, but he stepped away from her. "How long have I been here? And why would they want to kill me?"

"A few days. When I arrived yesterday, I overheard some of the guards talking about a woman they had locked up. I listened and guessed that it might be you…"

"Where are we?" she interrupted him.

"Knowhere," Micarian looked closely at her face. "Did you not know?"

Sif shook her head. "No, the last thing I recall was leaving the feast with Kiri and Frigga. We went to our chambers and," she blushed as she recalled what she had been anticipating then. "Well, we giggled a bit about everything as we drank some more wine and they helped me dress in my bedclothes. Then they left. I thought I heard you come in and was waiting in bed for you when… I don't know what happened. I think someone must have drugged the wine as the next thing I recall I woke up in here." She gasped. "Kiri and Frigga! Are they here too? Were they drugged and brought here?"

Micarian hesitated, then asked. "So, you do not know how you got here? You remember nothing?"

Sif looked at him oddly. "No, I just said that. I believe the wine was drugged. Who did that? And you did not answer. Are Kiri and Frigga okay?"

Micarian nodded. "They were unharmed. It seems you were who they were after… at first."

"What do you mean 'at first'? Why would someone want to kidnap me? And how did you find me?" Sif asked anxiously.

"I said I overheard some guards talking. Someone is causing trouble…"

"I know that - we 've known that for a long time. Someone is after those stones for their own purposes," Sif broke in. "It has been going on for quite some time. I know Loki suspected something but couldn't figure out what. But that still does not explain why they would want to kidnap me. I am not important."

"To me, you are," Micarian assured her. "I went crazy when I discovered you missing. At first I thought Thor had spirited you away."

"Thor?" Sif looked at him quizzically.

"Yes, I was… am, jealous of him. His parents had always wished for you two to marry, you know," Micarian admitted his feelings.

"I know that, but… it just would not have worked. And then he met Jane, and well…" Sif shrugged. "I moved on. I met you and we got married. Did you honestly think I would have run off with Thor?" She eyed him, waiting for him to answer. Almost as if everything she had feared before the wedding were true. She realized in her explanation she had left out that she loved him. Did she? Or did she still secretly desire Thor? What if…? She stopped her train of thoughts to await his answer.

"I should never have doubted you," Micarian whispered softly. "But what else was I to think? I was unaware that there were troubles in Asgard. I would imagine they chose you to stir up the most trouble… and it worked. I went mad, raging around searching for you."

"How did you find me here? I know you said you overheard the guards talking, but why did you come to Knowhere? And why would they want to kill me?" Sif asked again. She realized he had never answered these earlier questions. She was realized he was lying. He had known of the troubles in Asgard.

"I actually did not find you. I was forced to come here, with my sister. She agreed to exchange the Infinity Stones for your release," Micarian explained.

"Kiri is here?" Sif's eyes opened wide as she took in this information. "No! She mustn't exchange the gems for my freedom! You have to stop her. I am not worth that cost. And who? Who brought this all about?"

"Shhh," Micarian attempted to quiet her. "I do not want them to find out I am in here. I have to go, I will give your message to my sister. Do not let anyone know I was here. I will find a way to get you out. I must go before someone misses me. I promise I will return and get you out of here. I just need to find a way."

He left before she could say anything else. Sif considered his responses, realizing that as Katirya's brother, he ought to have been privy to the conversations among the king and his wife, aware of the troubles that had been happening in Asgard. And he had been in Asgard frequently enough to at least have heard of some of the things that had happened. Something wasn't ringing true… he was lying, but she needed to get out of here, no matter what the cost. Were her fears of the marriage true? Had he really loved her? Something wasn't right with this whole scenario. Who had forced him to come here? Or was he lying about that as well? Was he part of the plot? Knowing she was on Knowhere meant that Taneleer Tivan was involved in this somehow, but how? Why? She had so many questions… and no answers.

The lighting in the room had remained on so she could see everything. Other than the four walls, there was no evidence of either the door he had come through or the opening for the food. It was a small room with no furniture. She sat back down against the wall and reached out for her meal. Thinking as she ate, she started to arrive at a few conclusions… none of which made her happy with either how she had gotten into this position, nor with her husband.

•§•§•

"How are we going to get to Knowhere?" Steve asked the question as they began to prepare to leave. "I still think that is an odd name for a place. Somewhere would have been better."

Clint laughed. "Well, I guess it's better than Hell. Rather go to this nowhere than hell. What should we bring with? Other than the usual?"

"The usual should do. Bring the weapons you are most comfortable with," Thor answered. "We do not know what we will find when we arrive. I have not been there in quite some time, so I am sure things might have changed a bit."

Loki nodded. "A bit. Still creepy, but I do recall quite a few more servants than I had seen on previous visits. I imagine these are guards."

Thor nodded. "You were the last one to visit – you and Kiri, so what do you recall from that visit? Anything that might help us?"

Loki shook his head. "It was a pleasant visit… well, as pleasant as possible considering the host. He offered us a tour, which we took. Strange collection he keeps. The food was good, and he was charming as a host. But knowing now what I do, he could have been pretending for all I know. We need to be prepared for anything. The fact he had the stones yet returned them to Kiri is very telling. He obviously has no fear of getting them back from her. He does not fear us and will be expecting us."

"Agreed," Greiwaldt stated. "But not me. He will not be expecting me… but then he really does not know who I am, yet."

"I thought all the Elders knew one another," Thor commented. "How is it that he does not know you?"

"Oh, he knows me, but not this form of me," Greiwaldt explained. "I have been in hiding for many years, so he has not seen me. Greiwaldt is simply a servant of Thanos… or rather a former servant. I have never given him suspicion to believe otherwise. While we all do know one another, we do not often visit nor communicate. And quite frankly, he is not one who I would choose to visit."

Thor nodded, accepting his explanation. "Everyone ready?"

"Wait!" Stark snapped, realizing that something that had been bothering him was starting to make sense. "This dude you were working with – Michael?" He started at Fury before going on. "How did you meet him? And where did you meet him?"

The others in the room became still, stopping their preparations to see if Fury would divulge any more information.

Fury shrugged. "He came to me. Made me the offer. I did not seek him out if that's what you're asking."

"No, you're not the one to seek out people. So why would he approach you? And not me?" Stark looked a bit put out by the fact he hadn't been approached.

"I don't know. You'll have to ask him yourself when you see him again," Fury sneered.

"Again?" Stark stared at Fury in surprise. "I've met him?"

"Time to go!" Loki shouted as the Bifrost effect appeared.

Fury glared back, refusing to answer as he watched them disappeared to Knowhere.

•§•§•

Katirya warily surveyed her surroundings. She had recognized the voice instantly back on Earth. How he had managed to remove them from Stark's place, she did not know, but here she was… on Knowhere.

Micarian had pushed her away the instant they had arrived. Brushing the hair that had fallen over his face, he grinned at her and then glanced over at the man standing in the corner of the room they had arrived in. "Got her, just as you asked!" he shouted.

Katirya's eyes widened as Micarian's announcement. "So, it was _you_ all this time?" Shock raced through her as this had been the last person she had suspected. "You're my brother! Why would you agree to this? To tearing apart my life?"

Micarian smiled at her. "Yes, it was me… all… this … time – and you did not know it. Pretty good, aren't I? I got you to agree to let me rule Cartherion while you lounged around Asgard, playing at being a good wife, finding most of the Infinity Stones for us. Managed to get Sif to marry me… _that_ gave me one more piece to ensure our plan worked."

Katirya looked at him oddly. "What did you say? _Us_? _Our?_ Are you working with Tivan?"

"Indeed he is, my child," Taneleer Tivan moved closer to them.

"And you have accomplished several other things that have helped me on this quest, such as ridding the universe of Thanos and his brother." Tivan stared at the fingertips of his right hand as he rubbed them together, not looking at her at all. "And now you are going to assist us in locating that last gem, fathering a child that can rule by my side, and then you will… just… disappear." He flourished one hand in the air to punctuate the last part of his statement.

"I already have children; you are not going to touch my children!" Katirya glared at him.

"Oh, I don't want those – ah – half-breed mongrels of yours," he sneered at her. "Why did you not stay put when things were moving along as planned? Instead you had to run away from Cartherion – just when everything was almost in place." Tivan sighed, shaking his head. "You have created a good deal more difficulties, but we appear to have finally sorted them out. You are here, most of the gems are here, and now I can begin to finalize my plans."

"Plans? What grand plans do you have? Ruling the Universe?" Katirya's sarcasm was evident in her speech. "You are incapable of ruling anything… " her arms swept around the space they were in. "Just look at this mess. You know nothing of ruling."

"You shall not judge me, missy. Now, hand over the Gems like a good girl. Then Micarian – you will see to it that she is prepared for my visit," Tivan blinked several times as he spoke, indicating he was finding her argument boring.

"Visit? I am leaving, _with_ the gems." Katirya turned only to find a large armed guard standing behind her.

"As I was saying, you are remaining here. And you will hand over the gems now," Taneleer extended a hand waiting for her to comply. "You did bring them, did you not?"

"Yes, the agreement was that you would release Sif in exchange for the gems. Nothing else was said about any other arrangements," Katirya said as she whirled back to face him. "You will release Sif and allow us both to return home to Asgard."

"Well, things change. I did not want you fully aware of the plans as I figured you might find them distasteful and decide not to come visit your dear father. Now, if you will simply give me the gems, your brother will take you to my chambers to prepare you as I wish to father your next child – a son please, one that will follow my orders unlike you: one who shall rule beside me," Taneleer looked skyward, envisioning his future ruling the universe with his son by his side.

"I will not provide you with an heir! What kind of father are you? You're a monster if you wish to sleep with your own daughter!" Katirya shot back, repulsed by his suggestions.

"I am not your father. Your mother was quite the liar I discovered, to my dismay. That is why she had to be eliminated. I learned that she slept with many other men… not even her true husband. Micarian is not even your brother," Tivan sighed heavily. "Nor was your sister your true sister. Althanas told me everything. Of course, he did not love Beythran anyway so that was not a problem."

"What do you mean?" Katirya was surprised by this information but felt comforted a bit as she had loved her mother. She had never had any feelings for Althanas – the man she had once believed to be her father. And now to hear that Taneleer did not even think he was her father? "Besides, even if you are not my father, I will not give you any children. I am married to Loki."

"Oh, but you will, my dear," Tivan smiled at her. "Then you shall die, along with those heathen creatures you call children. I shall hunt them down one by one and kill them. Then I shall rule the universe with my son by my side… a son that you are going to provide. Beythran may have lied to me… telling me for years that you were my daughter. But she finally admitted the truth… that I was not the father. I had great hopes of ruling with you… but no. First you had to spoil that plan by running away and marrying that fool. Beythran also told me the truth, just before I killed her. That she had never slept with me and that you were not my daughter. So, I feel justified that you shall be the one that shall provide me with a son. That child shall rule by my side… you, of course, shall be dead. Once I have your child, I will have no further need of you."

"Loki will come for me," Katirya shot back.

Tivan laughed. "Oh, I am certain he will attempt a rescue… and he, too, shall die, along with that stupid brother of his, and any others that choose to join in his mission." Taneleer paused in his twisted explanation, looking quite wistful as he considered the deaths of Loki and Thor. "Then… oh, yes. Then I shall be avenged for all the lies told to me." He contemplated his future. "Maybe I will keep Loki alive for a short time and allow him to watch us as we create my son."

Katirya stared at him, her eyes widening in shock as he revealed his plans.

"What about me?" Another woman entered the room. "She killed my lover." She pointed at Katirya accusingly. "You promised I could kill her."

"All in due time, Thriana," Tivan replied. "And you may continue to serve me. You have shown some degree of intelligence… unlike your brother… or lover… or whatever you wish to call him."

Katirya stared at the newcomer. "Who are you?"

"Thriana - I thought he just said that," the woman replied, sneering at her. "You killed my lover - Althanas… and my other brother."

"You're related to Althanas? And Thanos?" Katirya stared incredulously at the woman as she looked nothing like either of the two men.

Thriana shrugged. "We all had different mothers. I got the looks, Thanos got the strength…"

"And what did Althanas get?" Katirya asked.

Thriana smiled, a very sensual look appeared on her face. "Ah, yes… my lover. Let's just say he was well endowed in that department."

Katirya looked disgusted. "You slept with your brother? Even if he was a half-brother, that is just sick."

"Well, you grew up with two of our kids. We managed to foist them off on Beythran – Kyrath and Micarian. Stupid woman believed the sob story Althanas gave her… that they were orphans and he was raising them. That's when he married her. She raised them, more or less… they preferred their father's company to hers. I do wish he had been able to pry out the name of your real father, but she refused… so she died." Thriana ended her explanation with a dramatic wave of her arms. "Poof! Dead! Went rather easy too."

"You killed my mother?"

"Only fair… you killed my lover and my brother… or brothers," Thriana looked a little confused on how to list them.

"But that happened after my mother died," Katirya countered, wondering if reasoning with this mad woman was even possible. Although she was learning more pieces of the puzzle, helping to understand this insanity.

Thriana shrugged. "Details. She needed to die anyway."

"And he's your son?" Katirya pointed at Micarian. Thriana nodded. "Did you know this?" Katirya asked him, watching as he nodded. She was stunned at this revelation. "Interesting sibling interactions," she muttered. "I am glad I am not related to any of you."

Micarian shrugged. "Yes… What difference does it make who your parents are, as long as they are strong?" He lifted his chin, as if daring her to comment on his parentage or his strength.

"Really? Well… "Katirya broke off, deciding not to go any further as she saw his look. Now was not the time to engage in this argument.

"And you killed my father. I hate you for that! But then, I've hated you since you were born," Micarian hissed. "Useless child that we were told you were. Another lie from Beythran. You were supposed to grow up and do as you were told - but what did you do? Sneak out and study from another person… pretend to learn enough powers to control the Cronuth…"

"I _Do_ control the Cronuth!" Katirya shouted back.

"Yeah, then took off into hiding, like a dog with its' tail between its' legs. Ran away to Asgard to get a protector. You don't love Loki… you used him! To hide from us!" Micarian accused her.

"You do not know what love it," Katirya replied softly.

"If you two are done arguing…" Tivan cut them off. Once they were silent he went on. "Now, the gems?" He held out his hand once again – waiting.


	5. Chapter 5: Cessation of Negotiations

CHAPTER 5: Cessation of Negotiations

"The gems?" Tivan repeated, blinking several times, then wrinkling his nose as if he wanted to sneeze.

"No," Katirya replied firmly. "You must fulfill your part of the bargain. Release Lady Sif before I even consider handing them over."

"I could take them by force," Tivan pointed out, gesturing with his hands as he shrugged.

"And I could use them to stop you," Katirya countered. "Do you wish to fight me over them?"

A twisted smile crossed Tivan's face. He disliked fighting for any reason. _Perhaps_ , he thought, _releasing Sif would be the easiest path_. "Fine." Tivan waved at one of the guards in the room who quickly left. They waited in absolute silence.

A shriek broke the quiet. "Let me go, you oaf! I can walk by myself." Seconds later, the guard returned, holding Sif at arm's length as he dragged her along, not allowing the warrior a chance to gain her feet, as he kept lifting her inches above the ground with each step.

"Let her go," Tivan commanded. The guard complied, dropping Sif, who fell to the floor at her sudden release.

Sif scrambled to her feet, glaring first at the guard, then at Tivan. "You!" she spat, completely ignoring the small crowd in the room, in favor of rounding on Tivan, eyes flashing righteous fury.

Tivan ignored her. "There, she's free. Go!" he shooed Sif away from him. "Go home, go away. You are too noisy, and I honestly have no need of you. Your children would be useless, just like you." He looked over at Micarian. "Why did you bring her again?"

"I married her. Seemed the easiest way to get the fools to trust me," Micarian replied, grinning at what he considered his masterful method to get the gems to Knowhere.

"You _married_ her?" Tivan stared incredulously at Micarian. "You could think of no better way to ingratiate yourself given that your sister was married to the Asgardian king? How… why… did I align myself with such a fool?" He whirled around and stalked away from both Micarian and Sif, staring up at the ceiling.

"He is not my brother! I thought we had just confirmed that little item." Katirya glared at Micarian.

Listening to this exchange, Sif realized that Micarian was involved in her situation, "You _married_ me to help him? Why? I…" She glared at him. "So was that all an act back there?"

"Perhaps," Micarian replied nonchalantly. "Didn't realize he was going to bring you in here. I was going to see you got released. After Kiri turns over the stones, that is."

"Seriously? Why do I find that difficult to believe right now?" She looked over at Katirya. "Don't do it, Kiri. I'm not worthy, especially if I fell for his act."

"Sif, you are worthy. I believed he was my loving brother for so long, that he duped you as well is no surprise. He is a liar, as he has proved…" Katirya replied and turned her attention to Micarian and Tivan. "And he, along with Tivan, shall pay for what they have done."

Tivan started laughing, although it sounded more like a giggle than a laugh. "Perhaps, you are unaware of the situation here – you are my captives, you are unarmed, and you cannot defeat me. I am an elder."

"I wouldn't mind helping," Thriana chimed in. "Defeating them, I mean." She realized that the two women might take her offer as help to them. "Besides, I would love to get rid of Katirya. She's been a nuisance since she was born."

"All in good time," Tivan glared at Thriana. "She has to provide me with an heir first." He focused back on Katirya. "Now, child, hand over the Infinity Stones. I have released Sif – she is free to go," he began laughing again. "Although where she is going to go…" he shrugged his shoulders indicating that there really was no way off the planet. He moved closer to Sif looked curiously at her. "Or I could just keep you and add you to my collection. I don't have anything like you."

Sif glared at Tivan as he approached. "No thank you. I shall find a way out of here…"

"Wait!" Thriana shouted. "I thought you just said they were your captives." She sneered at Sif.

"Oh," Tivan looked vaguely up at the ceiling, his mouth half-open. "You are correct, I did. Sorry," he looked at Sif. "You are staying."

Thriana grinned evilly at Sif. "Mica, we could have some fun with her. Didn't you say you married her?"

Micarian threw back his head and laughed. "Indeed, I did, but I've no desire to bed her."

"But you did wed her, and just think of the fun we could have," Thriana said suggestively.

"You sicken me. Both of you," Sif spat at the pair.

"Ignore them, they are not worth our attention," Katirya advised, attempting to maintain some level of control over the situation.

"You want to join us?" Thriana smirked.

"Hardly," Katirya sniffed disparagly.

"Enough, children. I shall decide what happens with them. Now…" he sighed. "Where is Carina?" He snapped his fingers impatiently.

Three workers in the room raced out in search of the servant requested. One returned within a minute with Carina.

"Yes, my lord?" Carina asked nervously, uncertain of his mood given the circumstances. She knew he was attempting to regain the Infinity Stones, but these _guests –_ or captives as she considered both of them, made her nervous. Katirya had visited here before as an honored guest, but now her position was clearly different. She knew what atrocities he was capable of.

"Is there any report yet from Asgard?" Tivan asked. "I do hope you have good news."

Carina blanched, not having given any order. "You have yet to order the attack."

"NO!" Katirya shouted. "Asgard has done nothing to harm you."

Tivan looked at her curiously. "Well, it matters not." Then he gave a disparaging look at Carina. "I thought I told you to attack once she arrived." He pointed at Katirya. He ran a hand over his face tiredly. "Do I have to tell you every little thing? Send out the ships. Destroy Asgard." His voice lacked any emotion so the orders to attack seemed to be nonchalant, almost like an afterthought. "And remind me to discipline you later."

Despite the lackluster manner in which Tivan ordered the attack, Carina ran out of the room. She knew she would not remind him of his last order, hoping he might forget. He often forgot things like that and with Sif and Katirya here, she knew he would be preoccupied with them. Hopefully she would escape his cruelties.

"Why?" Katirya pleaded with him, tears in her eyes. "They have done nothing. Here, take these but spare Asgard." She held out the leather bag which held the Infinity Gems. Micarian did not wait for any orders as he ripped the bag out of her hand. Katirya glared at him.

"I feel like it, and I don't need to answer to you, missy. You need to answer to me. And yes, they have done me harm. They kept both you and my Infinity Gems. " Tivan glanced over to Micarian who was still holding the bag. He gave him a look that clearly indicated he would not accept anything other than the bag being handed over to him.

Micarian hesitated, the temptation to use the gems for himself was strong.

"Now," Tivan commanded and pursed his lips, giving him a sour look upon his countenance.

Reluctantly, Micarian walked over to him and held out the bag.

Tivan grabbed it. Opening it slowly, he peered inside. "Ah, there you are. Now where…" he rummaged in the bag before smiling as he plucked one of the gems out and held it up to inspect it closely. "This one. Not harmed, I see. At least you managed to take good care of them." He stared at it peculiarly. "The Mind Stone if I am not mistaken?"

A look of horror crossed Katirya's face. "No, you wouldn't."

"Oh, but I would," he said in a soft, sing-song voice. "You disobeyed me. And your father… well, I do grant he was not your father, but you did not know that then. If you would have just done what you were told we wouldn't be in this terrible situation."

"It is only terrible because you have made it so," Katirya shot back.

"Well, enough. I'm tired of listening to you," he replied childishly as he advanced on her.

Micarian had positioned himself so that he was standing behind Katirya. As Tivan spoke, he moved forward.

"Kiri!" Sif shouted a warning when she saw what Micarian was planning but was too late.

Micarian leapt forward and pinned Katirya's arms behind her, an evil smile on his face as he sneered mockingly at Sif even as he addressed Katirya. "Finally, you're going to get what you have deserved." Katirya struggled in his grasp but was unable to escape.

Tiven stepped forward and lightly touched the Mind Stone to Katirya's forehead. Katirya looked at Sif for one moment, fear in her eyes before they glazed over, and she slumped down. Micarian released her arms and she fell to the floor.

Tivan kicked her with a pointed toe. "Get up!" he ordered.

Katirya slowly rose to her feet in a zombie-like fashion, her eyes devoid of any life.

"Take her to the cell. I've no desire to deal with her for a while," Tivan turned to depart. Before leaving, he shot over his shoulder. "And that one you married as well. She can keep her company."

"Wait! I thought you said I was free to go!" Sif yelled at his retreating back.

"I changed my mind."

"Whoa!" Clint exclaimed when the Bifrost effect dissipated. "That was intense."

Stark frowned as he became aware of their surroundings. "This is Knowhere? Looks more like Asgard to me."

"We needed to come here first. We have to collect a few things," Thor replied.

Greiwaldt nodded. "We must be prepared for anything."

"Okay, let's collect and get going. The longer we wait, the more prepared this dude is going to be. Let's face it, he has to be pretty sure we're going to mount a rescue attempt," Stark pointed out.

"Indeed," Loki replied grimly.

"Katirya and the Lady Sif are both on Knowhere," Heimdall informed Loki, then gestured towards the entrance of the Bifrost chamber. "I took the liberty of having your skiff ready for you as I know time is of the essence."

Loki nodded. "Thank you." He turned to face the entire party that had accompanied him back from Earth. In addition to Tony and Clint, both Natasha and Steve had joined in the effort. "You may remain here if you wish or come back with us to the palace. We shall not be long."

"I'll just hang out here," Barton answered, not overly eager to encounter the twins as he recalled his last encounter with them.

"Me too," Natasha answered, stepping closer to Clint. "Unless you need us to help collect whatever it is you need."

"No, we just need a few things," Loki replied.

"Uh, I'll go with," Stark answered. He wanted to keep up with everything Loki and Thor were up to if at all possible. He was curious what 'few things' they needed to collect. They were all well-armed, so he knew something was in the works. "Steve, you stay here."

Steve nodded. He had planned on staying anyway but decided not to point that out.

"Heimdall will make sure you have everything you need. He can show you the weapons we have available," Thor stated.

Clint tapped his bow, "I'm happy with this."

"You might wish to consider more than one weapon," Thor said cryptically. "Heimdall shall advise you on what we might expect" He then followed Loki and the others out to the skiff.

Palace guards raced towards the skiff as it landed outside the palace. "I need a small party prepared to follow us. You need to arrive thirty minutes after we do," Loki ordered.

The head of the guards nodded. "How many?"

"No more than twelve," Loki answered as he swept past the guards and entered the palace.

Frigga was waiting for him. "Where's Kiri and Mica?"

"They changed the _deal_ and insisted Kiri was to go with the Infinity Stones. Micarian appears to be behind this entire plot. He has been working with Taneleer Tivan in this whole thing. At least we know _who_ finally," Loki explained.

"Micarian? Tivan? Her brother _and_ father? I am confused." Frigga was shocked.

"Half-brother," Greiwaldt stated. "And Katirya is my daughter." He glanced at the others. "I shall explain it to her while you gather what you need."

Loki nodded. "Kai? Do as your mother requested. Stark, I suggest you just wait here. We shall only be a few minutes."

"Wait! Where are you going? What do you want me to do?" Tony shouted, but his words were ignored as Thor, Loki, and Kai left the entry hall at a run. He glanced at Greiwaldt and Frigga but did not feel like listening to the entire tale again. "Great…" he kicked at the floor. "Left here to just do nothing." He glanced down the hall they had disappeared down. "I can help," he said wistfully, feeling like he was speaking to the air. Plus, he had no idea now what they were doing.

"Yes, you can," a voice off to his right spoke.

Stark whirled around, then glanced back at Frigga and Greiwaldt to see if they had noticed the newcomer. They were too involved in their conversation to realize someone else was in the room. "Who are you?" He stared at the figure in the shadows, trying to ascertain who it was.

Hogun stepped into the light.

"You're one of the Warriors Three, right?" Stark asked.

Hogun nodded. "Yes, and you can help. First, why are you here? Why do you suddenly wish to help after all the damage you caused?"

Tony shifted uncomfortably, recalling his antics. "Yeah, right. I did. I was the one who hooked up that intercom system. Look," he glanced back at Frigga and Greiwaldt, but they were still deep in conversation. "I'm really sorry. I didn't know what Fury was up to. I didn't realize he was working for this dude. I thought he only wanted…"

"Stop! That's enough. You still conspired against Asgard. I'm surprised Loki permitted you to return," Hogun cut him off.

"Well, he understands now," Stark smiled confidently. "Look, I'm here to help. We all are."

"Who else came with you?" Hogun was surprised by this revelation.

"Cap… I mean Steve Rogers, and Natasha, and Clint. They stayed out at the Bifrost. Thor suggested they get some more weapons and Heimdall was helping them. We just came back here to collect some things, although I've no idea what Loki and Thor needed. We're on our way to rescue Katirya and Sif," Tony explained.

"So, why didn't you stay with them? Out at the Bifrost?" Hogun's eyes narrowed. He still did not trust this man.

Tony recognized the distrust. He had to admit to himself there were times he wouldn't trust himself. "You know man, you're right. You shouldn't trust me. I came along with Thor and Loki because I wanted to know everything they plan to do. But as you can see, they left me here twiddling my thumbs. But I promise. I am here to help. What Fury did was wrong and what happened back on Earth… well, _that_ I had no part of."

"Twiddling?" Hogun wasn't sure what this meant, but he was fairly certain it wasn't something to worry about. But hearing the man admit that he followed Loki and Thor specifically to see what they were planning just added to his lack of trust. "Well, I guess you can just wait here and twiddle all you want. They have been playing this whole thing close. No one knows what the plan was, but I'm sure it did not include you or your friends."

"No, probably not. But we're here all the same. And we're here to help. So, go put that in your pipe and smoke it."

Hogun looked confused. "I do not smoke…"

Tony waved his arms in dismissal. "It's an expression. It just means to think about it. They decided we might be able to assist, and they feel we will help them."

"I intend to keep an eye on you the entire time," Hogun warned him. "You had best be true to your words."

"You're going too?" Tony was surprised about this. "Are you part of what we are collecting?"

"We were told to await orders, but to be prepared to depart with little notice." Hogun felt telling him that much was acceptable.

"I wonder what else they are collecting," Tony mused.

Hogun shrugged his shoulders. "They have not confided in me, but that is not unusual. I shall follow my King and his brother and do as they order."

"Say, you wouldn't want a job with me? I could use a few men who followed orders for a change," Stark asked wryly.

Before Hogun could answer, Frigga noticed them. "Hogun! Are you to leave soon?"

"I await word from the King, but their return without Queen Katirya does not bode well," Hogun replied.

"Indeed, it does not," Greiwaldt quickly explained what had happened back on Earth.

Hogun frowned as he heard of the events on Earth. "I wonder who they sacrificed to make them believe it was the Lady Sif?" This stood out as important, but he could not decide why. It was obvious that the trick was meant to be seen as such, at least to him.

"That we know not, but I believe they meant to distract us for a bit…" Greiwaldt stopped mid-sentence as Loki returned with his three youngest children.

"Where's Thor?" Stark asked.

Loki ignored his question. "Where are Volstagg and Fandral?" he asked Hogun.

"As soon as we were alerted to your return, they went out to the Bifrost," Hogun replied.

"Excellent. Greiwaldt, I will have need of you here. Frigga take Runa and the twins out to the Bifrost. My skiff is waiting outside. With Fandral and Volstagg out there they can protect the others from the twins," Loki glanced down at the twins. "You two are not to attack the Midgardians this time. Promise? You have another task to do."

Aud and Sverre smiled up angelically at their father. "We promise, father," they said in unison.

Loki allowed a small smile to appear. "Thank you, now go!"

Frigga gathered the children and headed out to the skiff.

"Wait! What the hell is going on?" Stark demanded. "Are they coming too? Are you putting your children in the middle of all this?" He was astounded that Loki appeared to be planning to take the kids along with them.

"No, Asgard is about to be attacked, unless I am grossly wrong in my prediction of what is about to happen," Loki replied grimly. "The children can assist Frigga in protecting your friends."

"Well, they are your friends too," Stark pointed out.

"I would hardly call them friends, allies perhaps, but I do not count among my friends, people who, even misguided, attack my family," Loki shot back. 


	6. Chapter 6: Camouflage

Chapter 6: Camouflage

Frigga arrived at the Bifrost chamber accompanied by the three children where Heimdall greeted them. "So, it begins?" he asked solemnly. He tracked their rapid movement across the platform with resigned eyes as they exited the small skiff and entered the chamber. He had hoped it would never come to this.

Frigga nodded, doubt flickered for an instant across her face as she glanced down at the children. "Loki believes it will start soon, thus he sent us out here."

Heimdall noted her expression, wondering if she doubted the abilities of the children, the choice of the plan, or something else entirely? He did not question her, though. She was the mother of their King and if she chose to keep her doubts to herself, that was her choice. He simply nodded and stated quietly. "I am prepared."

"What? What's beginning?" Natasha asked, curious as to what was going on. "I thought we just came here to collect some things."

"Yes, that is one reason for the return prior to going on to Knowhere. Kiri had a feeling one or more of them would be compelled to go with the gems. That was expected. And that they chose _Kiri_ is really not surprising as she can control them," Frigga replied.

"But, they don't have the real gems. She could have refused to go," Steve pointed out, recalling that one _minor_ detail they had learned. "Is she not in grave danger being there without the gems?"

"Yes, and they might still kill her... or attempt to. That one or more might die in this ordeal was something they each accepted. Thor, Loki, and Katirya chose to create a plan they felt might work knowing that they might not survive to see the results. That she is still alive says that either Tivan is unaware that the gems she brought with were not the real ones, or if they do know, they have some other use for her… bait? Ransom? Demands for the real gems?" Frigga shrugged. "So many possibilities."

"Then, what is this grand plan they have concocted?" Clint asked.

"Even I do not know the full extent of it. They felt it very important to keep the details to just the three of them as they suspected a traitor in our midst. As we know now, they were correct as Micarian has been shown to be how at least some of information was leaking from Asgard. There may even still be more involved we have yet to discover, but he clearly was a major player," Frigga answered.

"Okaaaayyy…" Natasha drew the word out, indicating she was feeling irritated at the way they were not telling much of anything to anyone. Drawing on her past experiences, she determined to figure out what to expect. Knowing nothing wasn't going to help. "They've discovered at least one spy, what's the plan now? What did we stop here for? Are you and the children going with us to Knowhere? When are we leaving?" Natasha fired her questions at Frigga rapidly, hoping it would break down the reserve and provide some concrete answers.

"No, I shall remain on Asgard, along with these three," Frigga gestured towards the children. "My guess is that they came to retrieve the real Infinity Gems before continuing to Knowhere."

"But why the hell would they take them to Knowhere? Isn't that the last place we want them? In the hands of the dude who is trying to get them? Barton snapped, frustration evident in his questions.

"If Kiri is still alive, she has the potential to use them to defeat Tivan-"

Natasha cut her off. "But he's captured her. How the hell can she use them? I do not see how that can help."

Frigga sighed heavily. The questions were the same she had, but her children had chosen to exclude even her from their plan. "I honestly do not know. And I could be wrong as to what they came back for. Kai knows as his mother sent him specific instructions before she was swept off to Knowhere."

"What _do_ you know of this plan?" Steve asked, not really expecting a straight answer as so far, they had gotten none that made much sense to him.

"All that was revealed to me, before they went to Earth to exchange the gems for Sif, was that they anticipated a possible attack once the gems were handed over. It didn't matter who it was that wanted the gems, it simply made sense that this individual would desire to destroy Asgard for harboring the gems and refusing to just hand them over. Thor, Loki, and Kiri devised several strategies for us to prepare. My role is here, at the Bifrost. Beyond that, I cannot tell you any more for that is all I know," Frigga explained, indicating that was all she would tell them.

"And if you are wrong? What if they don't attack? And what _is_ your role?" Barton asked, keeping his eyes on the twins, ensuring that they stayed far away from him. "You plan on siccing those two on them?"

Frigga ignored his comment about the twins, knowing where it came from. "If we are incorrect, and they do not attack, then we have lost nothing but the time it took to prepare. And now that we know that it is Tivan, it makes things a bit simpler. He's mad and his actions are erratic. It is difficult to second guess a being such as him, for all we can anticipate, he may not even deign to attack. But if he does, one thing we do know is that he does not have a well-organized army," Frigga replied.

"Then why are you out here and especially the children? This would seem to be one of the most vulnerable places on Asgard," Steve pointed out. "We are separated from the main city, there is only that tiny bridge connecting us to the city, and it's not exactly a well-defended location." He had noted the lack of any other protection save Heimdall. And he had no clue how one man could defend this place against any attack. "If you get attacked by an army, even a bad one, I doubt the skills of Heimdall, you, three small kids, and the three of us will be of much effect."

"For precisely that reason. Our skills are needed here in the event of an attack," Frigga replied, not explaining anything else. At his mention of their abilities to assist, she noticed that none of the humans had added any additional weapons to what they already were carrying, she frowned. "I thought Thor instructed you to provide them with weapons," she commented to Heimdall.

"They have refused," Heimdall stated calmly. He turned his head slightly, looking outwards toward the Universe.

"You still haven't explained why are you and these three children here? Wouldn't you be better protected in the palace?" Steve asked, concerned for the safety and welfare of them. "Or are we all to return and you came to escort us?"

Frigga smiled. "Oh, we are safe here. It is you who shall need the protection. We shall remain here at the Bifrost until either an attack happens, or it is determined that none will, and Loki leads you to Knowhere."

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but I swore to protect women and children, they don't protect me. I respect your abilities," Steve countered, not really sure what her skills actually were, "But I can help."

"Your help may be required, but I suggest you avail yourself to some of the Asgardian weapons…" 

Heimdall interrupted. "Something is approaching. Prepare yourselves." He moved to stand by the control to the portal, preparing to defend it if he needed to.

Frigga nodded. "Gentlemen, and my lady," she nodded at the human party. "If you will be so kind as to step over there." She pointed towards the storage area for the weapons. "That way, if you do need to fight, you will be closer to the weapons should you decide to add to what you currently carry. Although…" she stared out at Asgard. "I have a feeling this will work. Even better knowing we are fighting Tivan's excuse for an army."

"Ma'am, like I said, I shall protect you with my life. I think…"

Frigga cut him off. "Not in this battle. You are out of your element. Please, just wait over there. If things do not go as planned, then you may step in." She turned to focus on the children. "Sverre and Aud, do what you can and make sure they do not interfere." She indicated the three humans. "Runa, you know what you are to do?"

Runa grinned enthusiastically, her eyes aglow with excitement, feeling the importance of being trusted to help in this endeavor. "Indeed!"

"Yes, grandmother. We shall make sure they do not help unless they are needed," Sverre stated confidently as he nodded towards the humans.

"Thank you," Frigga eyed Clint Barton, recalling how the twins had delighted in harassing him. "But remember to be respectful, they are our guests. Now, children, take your places as planned." Sverre and Aud started to move away from her.

"What the hell are you doing?" Barton shouted. Sounds of approaching ships could now be heard. "You are putting these children in harm's way!" He started to move towards the children attempting to herd them into some area of protection.

Aud lifted her arms. "Stand down!"

Barton refused and kept walking towards her.

Aud's eyes flashed briefly and Barton found himself on his backside over by the weapons storage. "How the hell?"

"My grandmother said you are to stay over there," Aud said, clearly pleased with herself. "Do not even attempt to move from that area." She glanced over at Natasha and Steve. "I think you need to join him."

The two humans exchanged a glance. "I'm sorry, but my job is to defend…"

"Women and children," Frigga cut him off. "Yes, I know. You have stated that. But you are on Asgard now and your place is to wait for the battle to come to you. But if it does, it means Asgard is failing, so pray to your gods that it does not come to that. Until then, please join your friend over there."

Steve looked like he was about to argue until Sverre turned his full attention upon him. "Do you require help like he did?" Sverre asked.

Steve refused to move.

Sverre cocked his head. "If you insist…"

Steve found his body sliding across the room towards Barton. "What the hell!" His arms flailed as he tried to stop the forward movement.

"Sorry, but as my grandmother stated, you need to wait there," Sverre focused on Natasha.

"All right, I'll go," she moved reluctantly over to join her companions.

"This is insanity. We're all going to die," Clint muttered.

"Agreed. And I don't want to die sitting on the sidelines," Steve replied. Now that they were closer to the weapons storage, he decided to investigate what options were available to them. Picking up some guns, he tossed one to Clint and Natasha. "Not sure what they do, but I think we can handle these."

"Don't join in unless asked," Aud warned them. "But, yes, you should be able to handle those. Just… wait. Please?"

Clint stared at her. Was she really asking him nicely? Before he had time to even reply, the` first ships came into sight. Some broke off and headed directly for the Bifrost chamber while the majority targeted the city.

Weapons began firing on the Bifrost and smoke filled the room as debris began to rain down upon them. Frigga stepped to one side of the entrance, Runa by her side as Sverre and Aud ran towards the opening Heimdall had recently vacated but made sure they still could maintain watch on the three humans. Heimdall stood diligently at his place, his sword drawn should any of the attackers actually enter the chamber. All of the Asgardians stood calmly and just watched the chaos and destruction as blast after blast penetrated the Bifrost chamber.

Natasha gasped. "Oh my god! We are going to be killed!"

Steve risked a look outside, seeing that not only was the Bifrost being attacked, but the entire city of Asgard. "We have to help them!" He started to rise up only to find himself flung back to the wall.

Sverre gave him a look such as one would to a disobedient child. "You were told to stay put. Seriously, I cannot keep an eye on you and the attackers at the same time."

Steve looked at him in confusion. The young boy seemed to be dismissing the fact that his city was under attack and that they could all die. "Are you crazy?" he shouted at the boy. "It's not just us they are attacking. Look at the city! The casualties are going to be enormous."

Sverre ignored him and looked back to the ships attacking. He lifted one arm as a ship flew towards the Bifrost. Steve watched in amazement as the ship suddenly disintegrated. Was the boy doing this he wondered? And if so, how?

Parts of the ceiling collapsed on the floor in front of Heimdall as another blast hit the chamber. Two walls were reduced to rubble as dust added to the smoke filling up the room. Natasha was coughing, trying to clear her lungs. "We've got to get out of here before the entire building collapses!" she shouted above the din. Trying to stand, she found herself pinned to the floor. She shot a look at the twins.

Aud was standing facing them, her arm extended with her palm outward. "Stay!" she commanded, rolling her eyes. "I do wish they would listen," she said to her brother.

"Check for survivors after this attack run!" a shout from an attacker outside what was left of the Bifrost chamber was heard. Runa and Frigga stood silently near the entrance, simply staring out at the battle. The walls supporting the entrance were still intact, as well as a small portion of the ceiling. As the attackers entered the Bifrost, another blast hit the chambers causing the archway over the doorway to collapse on two of the attackers, killing them instantly. Runa sidestepped as the archway came down, moving out of its way, but doing little else. More sections of the ceiling began falling. By now, only one wall remained intact, miraculously supporting what little was left of the ceiling.

Natasha watched as debris continued to rain down upon the floor of the chamber as the ceiling continued to crumble, but none seemed to hit them. "What is going on?" she softly asked her companions.

"I don't get it either," Clint replied. He gazed up and could see through the now non-existent roof that three ships above were not concentrating their fire on the Bifrost bridge, clearly having decided that the chamber was basically a ruin. The only remnants were the wall behind them and a small portion of the ceiling above them.

Runa had moved to the center of what had once been the entrance. The young girl raised her hands above her heads and clasped them together. A thunderous blast hit the Bifrost bridge just as one of the ships fired on it, and it shattered completely. Clint noticed that Runa had fallen to her knees. "The child!" he shouted but couldn't move or do anything about it. Frustrated, he pounded his fists into the wall. "Damn this!" He glared across at Aud. "Let us go!"

Aud shook her head. "She will be fine," she said calmly.

"How can they be so calm?" Clint uttered. "Their entire city is being destroyed and they are acting like they are going to a picnic. One is down, and the other two won't last a second against that force."

The sounds of the battle began to subside after the rainbow bridge was destroyed. A small ship landed on the only ledge still remaining where the outside walls of the Bifrost chamber had once stood. Natasha noted the skiff Frigga had arrived in was still sitting there. One attacker raised his gun and fired at the ship repeatedly until is exploded. He was grinning from ear to ear. "Ah, I love a good ambush." He was the first to enter the area. Seeing Heimdall still standing, he smirked. "Till the end? I appreciate the loyalty of a dutiful soldier." He lifted his weapon and shot Heimdall and the guardian of the Bifrost fell heavily to the ground dead. The attacker walked over and kicked him, just to be sure.

Natasha wanted to scream, move, anything… but couldn't. Aud held them not only in place now, but under some strange spell as she couldn't speak. She glared at the girl. Then she saw Sverre moving towards Heimdall's killer, his arms outstretched, but carrying no weapons. " _Stop!"_ she tried to scream, but no sound came from her mouth.

The attacker appeared not seeming to see Sverre approaching, looked around the rubble, noticed his dead comrades. He walked over to them and saluted "Sorry, boys, time to go. Noting left here." He swept his gaze around the room, pausing for just a second longer on Heimdall, then left the area and headed to his ship. Natasha watched as he climbed aboard and flew off.

Natasha discovered she could now move. She stood up. "Come on boys. Maybe there is still something we can do to help." She noticed Runa had gotten up and was once again standing at the entry area. The two, grandmother and granddaughter stood like silent sentinels, oblivious of the destruction around them.

"How did we survive? I don't get it," Natasha asked, but received no reply.

"Oh my god," Steve was staring at the city. Flames were rising up from the entire city, many buildings had fallen. "Can anyone have survived? We need to get there…"

"Wait!" Aud commanded.

Steve rounded on her. "For what?" he shouted. "They have just destroyed all you know, and you just stand there like nothing happened! Look around you. Heimdall is dead, the Bifrost is destroyed…"


End file.
